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Washington Public Lands Commissioner Adjusts Forest Conservation Goal Amid Financial Challenges

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Adjusts Forest Conservation Goal Amid Financial Challenges

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has revised his goal for conserving older state forests, reducing the target from 77,000 acres to 55,000 acres. This adjustment, announced on Thursday, is partly attributed to mapping errors. While these 55,000 acres are currently protected from logging until 2030, Upthegrove is seeking broader legislative authority for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to generate revenue from state lands through means other than timber sales. He emphasized that changing a system in place since statehood takes time. The DNR faces internal budget problems, with a key forestry funding account nearly going negative, leading to deferred work on some lands. Upthegrove stated that the current forestry business model in Washington has been leading to a financial crisis for over a decade. The commissioner oversees nearly 6 million acres of state public land, with about 3 million acres designated as 'trust lands' that generate revenue, primarily from logging, for schools...
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Washington Public Lands Commissioner Reduces Forest Protection Goal, Seeks Legislative Authority for New Revenue Streams

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Reduces Forest Protection Goal, Seeks Legislative Authority for New Revenue Streams

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has revised his goal for protecting older state forests from timber harvest, reducing the target from 77,000 acres to 55,000 acres. This adjustment, announced on Thursday, was attributed in part to mapping errors, with many parcels in the original figure being small or already protected. The 55,000 acres are currently exempt from logging until 2030. Upthegrove is now urging the state Legislature to grant the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) broader authority to generate revenue from state lands, moving beyond traditional logging. He highlighted that the agency's current forestry business model has led to a financial crisis over the past decade, with a key forestry account nearly going negative. The DNR oversees nearly 6 million acres of state public land, including 3 million acres of 'trust lands' that generate revenue primarily from logging for schools and local governments. The timber industry, represented by Heath Heikkila of the American Forest ...
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Washington Public Lands Commissioner Proposes New Funding to Protect Forests and Support Local Governments

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Proposes New Funding to Protect Forests and Support Local Governments

Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove, has introduced a new funding strategy aimed at conserving older forests while simultaneously ensuring revenue streams for schools and local governments. This updated approach, outlined in a recent news conference, seeks to move away from a sole reliance on traditional timber harvesting. The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is exploring various tools, including conservation easements, potential carbon-market revenue, and additional state funding. Upthegrove emphasized that the state is facing an ecological and economic crisis due to current practices. The DNR is also considering adjustments to management fees that contribute to county governments and school construction. Specifically, there's a proposal to increase the management fee share from 25% to 27% on state Forest Board lands, which would generate an estimated $1 million. Another proposal suggests raising fees from 31% to 32% on federal trust lands, supporting school construc...
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Washington Lands Commissioner Seeks Alternatives to Logging for Department Funding

Washington Lands Commissioner Seeks Alternatives to Logging for Department Funding

Washington Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove is advocating for alternative funding methods for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reduce reliance on timber sales. Upthegrove, who previously pledged to conserve 77,000 acres of timberland in Western Washington (later refined to 55,000 acres), acknowledged that this pledge was unrealistic under current laws, as timber sales are crucial for funding the DNR. He stated that the department is currently losing money due to flat management fees for 12 years and declining timber sale prices, while inflation has increased costs. Upthegrove plans to ask the Board of Natural Resources for permission to lease forests to tribes, public entities, and environmental groups. Additionally, he seeks legislative approval for the DNR to sell "ecosystem services," such as carbon storage, to generate revenue. He emphasized that without these new authorities, the 55,000 acres currently set aside for conservation might need to be included in future harvest plans to fund t...
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Weyerhaeuser to Invest $1 Million in Drayton Valley, Alberta Community Through Thrive Program

Weyerhaeuser to Invest $1 Million in Drayton Valley, Alberta Community Through Thrive Program

Weyerhaeuser to Invest $1 Million in Drayton Valley, Alberta Community Through Thrive Program
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Senate inches closer to US infrastructure permitting reform bill

Senate inches closer to US infrastructure permitting reform bill

By Valerie Volcovici and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The US Senate is nearing a deal to reform laws to speed up permitting of large infrastructure projects after the White House compromised on how renewable energy is treated, though a vote is uncertain before the midterm elections,
ReutersReuters
White House reinstates access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico following judge's order

White House reinstates access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico following judge's order

By Susan Heavey and Helen Coster WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The White House said on Thursday it has reinstated journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after a federal judge deemed US President Donald Trump's ban of the three news outlets likely unconstitutional and ordered their access
ReutersReuters
CNN, MS NOW and Politico denied access to White House despite judge's order

CNN, MS NOW and Politico denied access to White House despite judge's order

By Susan Heavey and Helen Coster WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists were barred from the White House on Thursday, just hours after a federal judge deemed US President Donald Trump's ban of the three news outlets likely unconstitutional and ordered their access
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Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo

Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo

Chinese President Xi Jinping says two giant pandas from China will arrive at Zoo Atlanta in the coming days
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Senators question FDA nominee Overton about her views on abortion pill and vaccines

Senators question FDA nominee Overton about her views on abortion pill and vaccines

President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Food and Drug Administration will face questions from Senate lawmakers considering her nomination
ReutersReuters
Chinese defence ministry urges 'extreme caution' over arms sales to Taiwan ahead of Trump-Xi summit

Chinese defence ministry urges 'extreme caution' over arms sales to Taiwan ahead of Trump-Xi summit

BEIJING/TAIPEI, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The United States should take "extreme caution" over any arms sales to Taiwan, a Chinese defence ministry spokesperson said on Thursday ahead of a summit in Washington between President Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping.
ReutersReuters
US and Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Hormuz and end US blockade, sources say

US and Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Hormuz and end US blockade, sources say

By Samia Nakhoul, Parisa Hafezi and John Irish Sept 24 (Reuters) - US and Iranian negotiators in New York are exploring a phased path out of war that would involve Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifting its economic blockade of Iran, sources close to the talks said.